Summary
On September 21, 2004, a Smith Aerostar 601P (N11BE) was involved in an incident near Lordsberg, NM. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: Aircraft control not maintained by the pilot. Contributing to the accident was the dirt devil/whirlwind.
On September 21, 2004, at approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, a Smith Aerostar 601P, N11BE, operated by Campground Brokers Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff roll at Lordsburg Municipal Airport, Lordsburg (LSB), New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The business flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot reported no injuries.
This incident is documented in NTSB report DEN04LA146. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N11BE.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
aircraft control not maintained by the pilot. Contributing to the accident was the dirt devil/whirlwind.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On September 21, 2004, at approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, a Smith Aerostar 601P, N11BE, operated by Campground Brokers Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff roll at Lordsburg Municipal Airport, Lordsburg (LSB), New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The business flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot reported no injuries. The cross-country flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Phoenix, Arizona.
According to the accident report submitted by the pilot, during take off roll from runway 12, the airplane "veered 30 degrees to the right, departed the runway, and came to rest a couple of hundred yards away in sagebrush." Both landing gear folded, both propellers were damaged and the right wing spar was bent. The pilot stated that prior to the take-off roll, he observed the wind sock "hanging down indicating a no-wind situation." The winds at Grant County Airport, 33 miles northeast of LSB were reported as 250 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 17 knots. According to a witness, the airplane got caught in a whirlwind. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DEN04LA146